How To Save A Life
by xMangekyoux
Summary: Brother, why? I couldn't even save her. I had the chance to run. And I didn't. Spoilers. Read at your own risk. Rated T for Blood.


**Author Notes: **Hello once more! Decided that I'd write another story, however, this one ain't gonna be exactly going to be filled with love and fluff. :\ Well, I got inspired after watching some emotional FMA music videos on Youtube and reading Chapter 30 of the manga. Hn, that chapter was rather depressing. I feel so sad for Al, I still do. This is why I have to write this little piece. **Note, there are spoilers in this story. If you haven't read Chapter 30 or seen up to where Greed appears in the anime, please do not read this if you don't like spoilers**

**Disclaimer: **Full Metal Alchemist by any means doesn't belong to me, but to the genius creator of the series, Hiromu Arakawa. I, however, own this story which I've used my own imagination and writing skills to bring to your entertainment. Please do enjoy.

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Death. Death is a force that can not be prevented - it works in such a mysterious ways. Not only can it not be prevented, it's also unpredictable. True, one can cheat death, but death will in turn come back to those whose time has come. In his case ... he could have prevented this. He could have saved her. Why? Why couldn't he save one woman when he had the time to? Why did such unfortunate things continue to happen to him and his brother? Was it a curse? Was someone out to get them? The youngest Elric brother couldn't comprehend this. This was the second time he had experience death - his mother... and now her. That woman? Her name was Martel. .. They had grown close due to their odd similaries; even though she was suppose to guard him, seeing how they had captured him. Even in that short time... he had started to grow fond of her... she wasn't as bad as she seemed to be. This memory... her death... to this day, it was going to haunt his mind for the rest of the time that he lived on this earth. The scene continued to play through his mind.

_Alphonse scrambled as quickly as he could to his feet, even though with the addition weight of the chimera woman inside made it a little harder to do so. "I have to get away ... Miss Martel, please forgive for not letting you out." He whispered as he heard the slight echoing sobbing coming from within his empty armor body. He knew she was going to hate him for not letting her help her comrades. To hear them die right before her had to be very hard for her... he had been through the same. Alphonse was about to make his escape until he whipped around face to face with King Bradley himself whom had a smile on his face as he approached.  
"My boy, please do not be hasty. Those chimeras won't hurt you anymore, I promise." Bradley chimed as careless as could be, even though, he slaughtered Roa and Dochet, the chimeras and the Homunculi, Greed right before his very eyes._

_Alphonse backed away slightly, almost ready to talk off running at any given moment. "Um, thanks, sir. I'm fine. I'm gonna go now and meet up with my brother." He said, about to take off until his hand suddenly thrust out, clamping around Bradley's neck tightly. Martel was controlling him from the inside once more. "Miss Martel!? Please stop it! Please don't do this!" Alphonse yelled loudly as he tried to loosen her grip, no use. "I'm going to kill you, Bradley!" Martel shouted in blind rage. It happened so quickly ... he couldn't stop it. King Bradley silently unsheathed his sword and wedged it underneath his helmet, driving the sword into his body and into Martel's body. Alphonse froze as his hand slowly loosen from Bradley's throat, his arm falling back to his side. He knew she had no way to dodge that in such a tight space. "I'm sorry; my boy." was all Bradley said as he walked off, leaving Alphonse standing there in horror.  
"Miss Martel..?" Alphonse asked, watching as crimson blood sickingly dripped from his armor and onto the once white cement pathway of the waterway. 'Please don't die... please don't die... please don't die!' Alphonse thought over and over. If he could right now? He would cry. "...I'm sorry, Alphonse." The snake-chimera woman croaked from within. "Miss Martel?!" He called again. No response. "No..." He whispered. The last thing he remembered was the echoed sounds of his brother's voice calling him before the world suddenly faded._

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Alphonse snapped out of his daze of remembrance as he came face to face with his brother, Armstrong and a few more military officers. "Al, are you alright?" Edward questioned, tilting his head as his younger brother seemed still not with him. "Ed? Where's Miss Martel? Where is she?" He asked, gripping onto his brother's shoulders until he stopped. His hands were covered in sticky, red blood. He looked down to see his chest plate had been removed; it too had been covered in the same crimson liquid. Her blood. Alphonse released his brother's shoulders and let them fall back to his side once he followed the bloody trail with his eyes, the trail led from him and stopped at a pair of feet sticking from underneath a now stained bloody sheet. "No!" Alphonse shouted, jumping up to his feet about to make his way toward the woman's body until Armstrong stepped in his way, stopping him. "Alphonse ... we're sorry." He said, frowning from underneath his rather large blonde mustache. "Please, Major Armstrong. Please let me see her..." Alphonse pleaded as he looked at the taller man. Armstrong nodded, respecting Alphonse's request and stepped out of the way.

Slowly, Alphonse lifted the bloody sheet slowly and came face to face with the sad sight of Martel's blank brown eyes staring back at him. Her body was drenched in her own blood, staining the cement forever as it stained his armor forever. It pained him. "I couldn't save her..." He muttered as he reached down, sliding his heavy gauntlet hand over her eyes gently, closing them. She truly looked very peaceful. "Major Armstrong. Please do me a favor ... please give her a proper grave?" He asked, looking up to see King Bradley standing there now. "I'm sorry, boy - she was an enemy ... we don't bury the enemy." He said. "Then, I'll bury her on my own." Alphonse answered. "Al..." Edward started but he was cut off. "Brother, please help me here." was all the youngest brother answered. Martel's last words continued to echo through his head - and they would for a long time. _"Al! Listen carefully--I don't have much time! You've got to tell Ed, that they're gonna turn Liore into another Ishbal! And your leader, the Fuhrer...he's a...Homunculus!"._

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"Brother, why?" Alphonse questioned as he looked down at the grave that he and his brother personally made for Martel once the military refused. "I couldn't even save her ... I had the chance to run.." The younger boy continued, his voice rang in the empty shell of his which he inhabited. He saw there in front of the grave, his heavy gauntlet hand slowly traced the engraved surface of the smooth stone which boarded her name in the neatest script. "I don't even know how to save a life." He finished. Edward knelt beside his brother, placing a hand on his metallic shoulder, comfortingly as he frowned a little bit, sighing. "Al, there was nothing you could do. It happened so fast... it isn't your fault." He said as he looked over at his brother, knowing how pained he was.

Alphonse just fell silent as he looked over at his older brother for a brief moment. "...It feels like it, however ... I mean... Bradley killed her right inside my armor; I feel that it is my fault. And now... I have to catch that burden with me. My armor is forever tainted with her blood." He said, looking down at his armor body that had lost its gray shine due to the blood that had stained it. They did their best to clean him out. .. But still. Edward sighed, hating to see his brother in such a mood as he rose to his feet. "You liked her ... didn't you?" He suddenly asked.

Alphonse rose to his feet, placing the small bouquet of white roses onto the grave as he looked toward his older brother for a moment. "Yeah. I guess you could stay that. She wasn't that bad of a person..." He said, staring at the grave for a little while longer. Edward smiled a bit as he looked up at his brother for a moment. "Well, there is a little good in many people. Hey Al, it's almost time for the train to arrive so we can get out of Rush Valley. I'll meet you there if you want ... you have ten minutes." He said, turning and started down the hill.

Alphonse looked over his shoulder, watching as his brother took off down the hill. Alphonse turned back toward the grave quickly, placing his hand on it once more. "I'm sorry, Martel. But it's time that I go, but I promise to visit you again. Too bad I can't see your smiling face again. I'll miss you." He said quietly, before hurrying after his brother quickly down the hill, leaving the small grave.


End file.
